Dear Skålleagues,
It was truly a pleasure to participate with all of you on the recent Zoom Meeting for the Skal International Annual General Meeting 2020. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself formally as I am Mark Irgang, current President of SKAL Long Island NY and have been a member of SKAL for several years. I would officially like to announce my candidacy for Director of Membership, SKAL USA for 2021-2 year term.
I have dedicated myself to the Travel & Tourism Industry as I was fortunate enough to attend and graduate from The Cornell University School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration and have been serving in the Hospitality Industry ever since. I was even asked to be a visiting Professor/Lecturer from 1994-2000 and teach International Students & Professionals in the Professional Development Program (PDP) over the summers at Cornell University which I was proud to do and even used my personal vacation time with my respective hospitality company at the time to teach these classes.
I am also proud to share that I am also currently the President of the LONG ISLAND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION representing all of the hotel owners and operators on Long Island NY in all hospitality related items inclusive of legislative, best practices and overall important industry matters and have been leading these efforts for the last several years. I recently was asked to become a Board Member for the NEW YORK STATE TRAVEL AND TOURISM ASSOCIATION which represents all hotels in NY State on legislative matters being discussed and reviewed in our government. In addition to the above, I also have been a Board Member of DISCOVER LONG ISLAND which is the former CVB-Convention and Visitors Bureau of Long Island which is responsible for the entire marketing of LONG ISLAND NY and to bring and increase tourism supporting all of the hospitality and leisure related businesses on LONG ISLAND.
In my capacity as a leader in the above mentioned associations/clubs, I have taken this opportunity during the COVID-19 crisis to "give back" to our very challenged industry and have started 3 Campaigns to raise funds for out of work hospitality employees on LONG ISLAND. For SKAL, I initiated the GO FUND ME Campaign "HOSPITALITY STRONG" as I first reached out to Wayne Lee from SKAL NYC and Wayne was amazing as he loved the idea and embraced it as we then presented the idea to Dave Ryan/Richard Scianta who equally embraced the campaign and the rest is history as we have already raised over $10,000 and have distributed it to out of work travel and tourism individuals throughout the USA. Many lives have been changed due to the SKAL RELIEF FUND CAMPAIGN and I am humbled to be a part of that effort.
I also started 2 campaigns for the LONG ISLAND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION as started a GO FUND ME Campaign that raised over $5,000 which we have distributed already to out of work travel and tourism individuals on LONG ISLAND and am in the process of rolling out a 2nd campaign with a radio station/Brewery on Long Island as I was able to convince the Brewery to create a BEER specifically for my association and they agreed and are calling the beer "HOPSPITALITY" as the proceeds will all go to the LONG ISLAND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION again to support our negatively affected industry and the over 200,000 leisure workers on LONG ISLAND!
As President of SKAL LONG ISLAND for the last 2 years, Jim Dwyer is aware that I inherited a CLUB that had less than 15 members for the last several years and thus was unable to vote on any SKAL related issues. I am proud to say that we now have over 15 members, and was able to vote this past weekend on ALL ISSUES for the first time in many years! As you can tell, I have been and remain as passionate and committed to the Travel and Tourism Industry as ever before and I would be humbled and honored to represent SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA as the next DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP and would welcome your support.
Thank you all for your serious consideration and again it is an honor to represent SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA with all of you as the passion exhibited on the Zoom call this past weekend spoke volumes about SKAL USA and I was honored to be a part of such an amazing organization and leadership group.
If I am afforded the opportunity to become the next Director of Membership SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA, I look forward to working with each and every one of you and your clubs to increase membership, share best practices, run productive and informative meetings ensuring that SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA is represented at the highest level and standards at all times.
I thank you for all you each do to make SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA an organization that is admired by the world around us and an inspiration to the rest of us who watch your leadership, passion, creativity, motivation and dedication among many other characteristics on a daily basis.
Kind Regards,
Mark Irgang
President of SKAL LONG ISLAND NY
Candidate for Director of Membership SKAL INTERNATIONAL USA, 2021-2023
